Montanejos
After receiving multiple recommendations we decided to visit Montanejos, a small inland village and its beautiful natural surroundings. There are multiple ways of spending time there. Montanejos offer a variety of hiking routes to explore as well as more adventurous activities such as canyoning, rafting or kayaking. We engaged in a quieter day, that's how we spent ours.
We drove past the town of Montanejos and parked at the lot called Río Mijares. From there in under 15 minutes by feet you can reach the most iconic spot in the area, Fuente de los Baños (eng. Fountain of the Baths). If you ever Googled Montanejos, the mentioned location will appear in most of the images. Fuente de los Baños is a natural hot spring, located between steep rocky walls. Calling it "hot" is a little far fetched. Even though it's supposed to be 25°C the whole year, it felt chillier than expected. It gets extremely busy during the peak season. We explored it in the beginning of September and even though it wasn't busy it felt busy. Some young people were lining up to take a perfect photo at the specific spot of the beach. However, beach chairs are not allowed and that makes it a little more wild and less attractive for a regular crowd. I don't want to say that overall we were a little disappointed, but we had very high expectations due to how much this place was recommended to us. Possibly, because the day was mostly cloudy and the water wasn't shiny blue which took away the "wow" moment from us. After a quick dip and a picnic we stepped back into the car and drove to see Estrecho de Chillapájaros, where the river passes through the valley. It is possible to hike by the river, however, we stopped at the viewpoint and enjoyed the panorama from above.
Next stop, El Chorro (eng. The Jet), which is an impressive jet of water, sprayed from the mountain wall. It isn't a natural occurrence, it's a spillway from the nearby Arenoso reservoir. However, seeing 950.000 liters of water being sprayed out of the wall every second is quite impressive. If you arrive by car, there is a tiny parking lot where you can leave the car and then walk down the steep hill or just incorporate it in one of the hiking routes. Embalse de Arenoso (eng. Arenoso Reservoir) is not far from there as well and it's worth making a detour to enjoy its beautiful views and the quiet waters.
One of the things we are saving for the next time is Cueva Negra (eng. The Black Cave). It's not accessible by car, so it's a part of our hiking plans for the next trip. Cueva Negra is one of the largest caves in Valencia region, 40 000 cubic meters. Several excavations have been conducted. The main findings, dating back to the Neolithic era: chunks of sandstone that served to grind, river stones used as hammers, pottery rests.
Feel free to send me your suggestions for must-visit places in the province of Castellón and beyond.